The Sydney Morning Herald previously published an article which claimed that, when it comes to tipping, Aussies are tightwads and either don’t want to tip or don’t know how to tip.
This made me think about my own tipping experiences in Sydney and during my previous time in Canada.
Tipping is one of those irksome little things in life. It is something we all have to do at some point yet it almost needs its own rulebook so that we, the customer, know exactly when and where to tip – and by how much.
Being an expat takes the need to understand tipping to a whole new level. The rules change from country to country, and as a new addition to a foreign land, you must quickly get your head around the local tipping culture or risk embarrassment at the dinner table.
To tip or not to tip? |
My own experience was that Canadians like to tip. Like their southern neighbours, they believe that rewarding staff for good quality service is necessary – and I get that. I’ve been greeted at delightful restaurants in the heart of downtown Vancouver by friendly waiters who will sit with me before the meal and spend time talking through my menu options, who will endeavour to make casual and generally entertaining conversation, and who will proceed to serve up delicious meals on time and with minimal fuss. I’m always more than happy to reward that level of service and usually leave between 10 and 15%.
But fellow expats beware… tipping in Canada doesn’t end there. Canadians leave tips at the bar, with hotel porters and taxi drivers, tradesmen and hairdressers, mailmen at Christmas and not forgetting the young paperboy. Why, they even tip the person sat by the entrance to the toilets (a cleaner, purveyor of gaudy fragrances, or just the toilet guardian?).
And if you think for one minute of not tipping for your service, be prepared to face the wrath of an extremely unhappy bartender as I found out when refusing to leave a couple of bucks extra for a bottle of water at one bar in downtown Montreal. I was promptly given a public dressing-down and I couldn’t get served when I went back for a second round (of beers, not water this time). Was I being a tightwad?
Which brings me back to the Sydney article about Aussies refusing to tip.
Australian tipping practices have surprised me since I arrived here four years ago. They simply don’t exist. It’s not in the Aussie culture to part with hard-earned cash over and above the stated price on the menu.
Shortly after my arrival in Australia, I went for the obligatory haircut at the local barbers. Once finished, I reached into my pocket to pull out a few dollar coins by way of appreciation, only to find the barber looking at my actions with abject horror.
“No, you don’t need to do that”. “People don’t tip here when they have their hair cut”. “Really, it’s okay, just keep your money and put it to good use elsewhere”.
Then at a friend’s birthday party a few weeks later held in a special reserved room for 20 people. Much drinking and eating followed, the waiter presented a sizeable bill, and the diners proceeded to divide up said bill into equal shares – without allowing for a tip of any shape or size.
I asked the question that appeared to be only on my lips: “Aren’t we going to leave a tip?” The response: “What for? These guys get paid enough as it is.”
Cue me then diving into my pockets to find a small something for the poor guys cleaning up our mess.
Does this prove that Aussies are tightwads? Perhaps not entirely. It’s more likely down to a lack of understanding that tipping isn’t necessarily a bad thing and that it does no harm to reward quality service.
My advice? It certainly pays to be well versed in local tipping practices when you take on a new home. However, if you’ve had a cracking meal or been given the greatest haircut, don’t be afraid to dip into your pocket and pull out some loose change. I’d rather be embarrassed by a refusal than called a tightwad in the street!
Have you encountered any strange tipping practices or struggled with the local customs?
Rebecca says
Love this post as I can relate to this a lot. I am American and it was so weird when I was in NZ to NOT tip for things! I went to the same hairdresser 4 times over the span of 16 months and never tipped, but on my last visit, gave her a couple of $20’s (as I would have done every time in the States) as a thank you because I enjoyed my cut every time and it is part of my culture!
The other side of that, is I just had some friends from NZ come and visit me back in Los Angeles and they have no idea how to tip. We went to dinner and they paid in cash. It was a middle of the road place (Cheesecake Factory, fyi) and the bill came to something like $72.16 so they put down $72.25 and since they put in that quarter, the server didn’t bring any change as Americans would have NEVER put down a quarter on a bill like that. I also advised them on an additional proper tip.
But what is most interesting to me is that the server didn’t bring the change, probably because of the way the bill was paid. So weird!
Katy says
Thanks for guest blogging for us. It was a very enjoyable post!
Russell V J Ward says
@Rebecca – Thanks for your insights into tipping in NZ and the US. Sounds very similar to Canada versus Oz. I went out for brunch only the other day – the bill came to $90 for the four of us, we split the bill two ways, and each couple gave exactly $45. I still felt uncomfortable not leaving any extra so sneaked a few bucks onto the table! Takes some getting used to!
@Katy – Loved the experience. Will do it again in the future, if you’ll have me!
Folks, go to http://www.expatexplorer.blogspot.com for more of the same!
interculturalist says
Great article! Tipping is something so small but not having an understanding of it can cause a lot of big problems. When I was in Europe I was so relieved to find service included pretty much everywhere I went so I didn’t have to figure out the etiquette from place to place. In the US servers don’t get paid very much and rely heavily on tips for their income so tipping is very important there. I know in other countries people like servers get paid much better so tips aren’t as important. Is this the case in Australia and Canada?
Russell V J Ward says
@interculturalist – I’m hearing you. When we first arrived in Canada, we had to take on jobs that were quick and easy to find i.e. working in restaurants. The base pay was so bad that the tips became an important part of the weekly wage. In Australia, servers are paid at a much higher rate so they don’t need the tips quite so much – that said, I’d still tip them a little something if the service was great though, wouldn’t you?
Megan Leslianne says
In Australia it depends on the job. At restaurants it’s acceptable to tip a waiter or waitress, but in most other jobs tips are not expected, and in some jobs they’re not allowed. Employees cannot pocket extra change.
Aussie employers pay high enough that tips aren’t necessary. I tip if I receive exceptional service. I don’t think tips should be expected. Waiters and waitresses get tipped for going the extra mile in Aus, not for simply doing their job.
Russell V J Ward says
@Megan – Hi, great to see you over here and thanks for your comments.
Interesting that, in some jobs here, tips are not allowed to be pocketed.
I had the odd experience in Canada where you could tell the tip was expected and the server was angling for his or her share by providing an overbearing service, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing and turned me off.
The downside here is when I’ve been eating out with a group, we received exceptional service, and the group left the restaurant having paid the exact bill – no more, no less. I find that an awkward situation and I’ve seen it a number of times. I’ll just need to ‘condition’ these particular people over time!
Nikki says
I find this so funny and interesting in the fact that I have never really given tipping much thought. As an American I have always known to tip 15%- 20% due to the fact that servers have a lower wage in the U.S. But now I find it humorous because two of my very good friends are actually studying abroad here, in the U.S. from Australia! Which is very exciting! My friends and I have been taking them out to restaurants and such and they always ask me “Do I tip here?”
When they first asked me this I found it so funny, of course you do! Then they explained how you only tip if the service was excellent in Australia. I find it so interesting how the two cultures can be so different.
But yes, knowing the etiquette rules for each country can definitely help! I am glad I was there to tell them to tip because who knows what would of happened if they didn’t haha!
This post just reminded me of those nights we took our Aussie friends out! I admire your knowledge of tipping!
Russell V J Ward says
@Nikki – The funny thing is, when you come from a country where tipping isn’t standard practice and you move somewhere where it is, you find yourself questioning how you should behave or act everytime – it’s just not a natural thought process when it comes to putting down a tip!
Then there’s the stress of how much I tip, how do I actually do it (do I leave it on the table or slip it into the server’s back pocket?), how is the server going to react to the size of my tip (will they be pleased, upset, etc.?). It’s all quite funny really.